B is for Blackwater
by shouldabeenblonde
Summary: AU Blackwater one shots, based on the alphabet. Part of the Blackwater a-z challenge.
1. Chapter 1

A is for apple, B is for Blackwater

A/N: Hi all! Sorry it's been way too long since I updated any of my stories, I have a thousand excuses/reasons why but I'll skip that long list and just say I'm getting back in the hang of things. This is a series of one shots based on Kei Kat Jones, Cucumber07, and Sentinel10's brilliant Blackwater alphabet idea. Please, for the love of God, don't compare my little one shots with theirs though, it'll just make me sad lol. Those three are like Twilight fanfic gods, no lie. An amazing author by the name of Captain Spockette (Check out her stories. You will be so happy you did. Girl is amazingly talented) suggested I try this so this story is dedicated to her. Btw, some of these one shots will be very ooc but I honestly feel that's part of it being AU. Hope it isn't a problem.

Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight, don't want to either.

Argument: A reason or set of reasons given with the aim of persuading others that an action or idea is right or wrong.

My relationship with him has just been a series of arguments. When we first met we playfully argued about my clothes. It was the night I met Sam. My girls and I were dancing wildly, having a good time. We paid no attention to the men in the dark corner of the club watching us, until he called me over. I remember tipsily swaying back and forth, trying my best not to spill my drink and still appear sexy at the same time. It was all for naught though when my cousin Emily elbowed me to get my attention. My drink ended up all over my leg and brand new heels. I had turned around to see what she was pointing at when I saw him.

He was beautiful, even now as he yells and screams in my face I think he still is. Head and shoulders taller than every other man on the dance floor. Even the strobe lights and smoke of the club didn't deter from his beauty. The fact that his deep brown eyes were glued to me made him even more extraordinary. He didn't look away from my face once.

I gulped and felt my empty plastic cup slip through my fingers as I leaned against the sticky wall. I will never forget the way I felt in that moment. Weak and strong at the same time. There he stood, finally. Gazing down at me, he smiled and slowly offered his hand. The club went silent to me then. I didn't hear my friends' hoots and hollers, the loud pulsing music. Just beautiful silence. I couldn't help but to smile back at his heartbreaking grin and slide my hand into his. He turned around and began to gently tug me behind him. So smitten was I that I didn't even say goodbye to my friends. Just followed him blindly.

He stopped once we reached the velvet rope that kept the peons from the VIP area. He nodded to the security, who lifted the rope no questions asked, and we went through. He led me to a large, crowded booth in the back. As he approached the booth, the silence started to die out. I began to slowly process the loud shouts and laughter of the booth's occupants. My tunnel vision ended and I began to look around. I noticed the half-naked women hanging off of the men's shoulders, I noticed the large stacks of money on the tabletop. I noticed the guns hanging out of the men's holsters. What shocked me the most was Sam Uley's presence.

Sam Uley was, still is, the biggest gangster our city has ever known. He made millions in drug distribution alone. Going into weapons dealing made him a billionaire three times over. But what he was known for the most was his ruthlessness. Cross him and not only you, but your entire family, will pay. He had our entire city by the balls. Politicians hired left and right, the police he paid out of pocket to be on his side.

I tensed up immediately. I was in way over my head. He squeezed my hand and gave me an reassuring smile as some of the men scooted over to make room for him. He sat down and tugged my arm so I fell in his lap. As soon as his body collided with mine, I forgot it all again. It's still like that sometimes. He eclipses everything. "So did you wear that dress just for me, sweetheart," he whispered in my ear.

I became a little girl again. Giggling embarrassingly, I whispered back that it was my cousins. He laughed and his cool breath sent shivers down my spine. He noticed me shudder and rubbed his hands up and down my arms, thinking I was cold. "I hope you never give it back then, because you'd be doing her a disservice," he responded.

I turned to face him and saw the slight twinkle in his eye as he teased me. "Why do you say that," I played along. He smiled bigger and moved forward to lean his head against mine. "Because she will never look as beautiful as you do in this dress. No one else will." He whispered. I laughed and we argued back and forth for several minutes, feeling as if we had known each other forever. My eyes had fluttered closed once his forehead gently bumped mine. I slowly opened them to find him staring deeply back at me. I will never forget the look on his face as he studied me. Or what happened next.

"I agree," a deep, monotonous voice said. With that the spell was broken and he and I broke apart. He turned to face the direction the voice came from and I followed suit. The leer Sam Uley gave me made me wish I hadn't. I had wanted to stay in that moment with him forever but Sam ruined it, just as he would ruin everything else in the future.

"Jacob, who's your lovely friend," he asked, as he leaned forward across the table slowly. My mouth had gone dry and I clung to him, to Jacob, tighter as he turned to face me. I licked my lips nervously, and both men followed the small action intently. "Leah," I said in a small voice, answering Jacob's unasked question.

"Leah," Jacob called out, still staring at me, before he cleared his throat and repeated himself. "Her name is Leah." His hand tightened around my waist and I soaked up the comfort. "She's a pretty little thing," Uley called out, as he shoved a few of his buddies out of the booth so he could step out. "She's beautiful," Jacob agreed, making me blush. A few of the guys around the table shouted their favorable opinions until Sam silenced them with a tiny hand gesture. I remember thinking that was a small display of how powerful he was. I should have paid more heed then.

"Exactly, so my question is: what is she doing with you," he said softly, dangerously. Jacob stiffened and my heart race reacted accordingly. I was scared. I saw Jacob begin to say something but what it was I'll never know. Sam cut him off before he could get it out.

"Leah Clearwater, correct? Your Harry's little girl," he chuckled to himself. "Your father owes me a lot of money. Did you know that?" I had, in fact, known that. My father's drug addiction was the very reason I was so familiar with the name Sam Uley. Everyone in the city knew who he was but not everyone had to come home to their father cursing his name daily.

Someone came up behind Sam and helped him slip on his expensive coat. He kept his eyes on me the entire time, waiting for my answer. I looked to Jacob for help. He gazed at me as if he could give me the right answer through his thoughts. Sadly, I didn't receive them. I turned back to Sam and saw that he had stepped closer. He was so close he was almost stepping on Jacob's toes.

"Yes, I knew that," I finally answered. Sam nodded and then did something I would never expect. He offered me his hand. It was much in the same manner as Jacob had just moments before. Only this time the gesture seemed cruel, as if I really had no say in the matter. His next words verified my fear.

"You can make all his debts go away, dear Leah," He whispered. I stared down at the hand and felt Jacob squeeze my side, as if it was a reflex. He didn't want me to go. I didn't want to go either. "It may just be time for your father to pay up. Does he have the money? You do know what will happen if he doesn't," he threatened just as softly.

Yesterday's headline immediately had come to mind at his words. An entire apartment building was burned to the ground resulting in 16 fatalities. The back and front exits had been locked and chained shut. The police said they had no leads as to who did it. Bullshit, it screamed Uley.

I stared up at Sam, horrified as he nonchalantly placed a cigar in his mouth. One of the scantily dressed women strolled over and lit it for him, before winking at me saucily. He took a deep pull and then blew the smoke out in my face. "Does he have the 4 thou," he asked, already knowing the answer. I turned to face Jacob again but he just sat there, his head hanging low, staring at the ground. I turned back and slowly shook my head no.

Sam smirked, humorlessly, and yanked me up before I could protest. "Didn't think so," He said smugly, as he draped his arm around my shoulder and started to drag me towards the back exit. My feet shuffled slowly as he pulled me along. I turned my head and strained to catch one more look at Jacob before we reached the exit. He had stood up and was staring after us, as one of his friends appeared to be consoling him.

Jacob and I had a deep connection from the moment I saw him, but as I stared at him from within Sam's all-encompassing arms I knew we weren't meant to be. He must have seen the fear and panic in my eyes as I was led away because he shoved his friend away and began to stride towards us. But it was too late. We were out the door before he could even get across the room.

Sam must have gotten a taste of something he liked that night because he kept coming back for more. I don't know what it was that drew him to me. I was frightened beyond belief that night. It was my first time. He tried to wine and dine me, did the whole chilled champagne, and beautiful hotel suite thing but I was frightened nonetheless. I was stiff and frigid. He would touch me and I froze up. He would kiss me and I would turn away. The look in Jacob's eyes haunted me during the vile act. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to escape it but his big brown orbs wouldn't go away. I remember wishing he hadn't been such a coward. I remember wishing he had saved me.

Sam's people dropped me off home the next day and I went along as if nothing had happened. I thought that was it. I was wrong. Two weeks later, Jacob showed up at my doorstep. That was the second time we argued. There was no playful banter that time. Just bitterness and anger. I didn't know this man from Adam but I felt something for him. And he felt something for me too. I had never believed in love at first sight and I still don't. But Jacob and I had immediately felt each other the night we met. Something about him reached out and grabbed me. It never let me go.

Every day, every minute, of those two weeks afterwards I had thought about him. Had thought about what could have happened if he had stepped up, if he had just brought me back to his place instead of to that table, if he had been my first and not Sam. If he had at least kissed me. All of those thoughts surged through my brain when I opened my front door and saw him standing there that Tuesday. I thought he had come to apologize, to make things right. He had come to bring me to Uley instead.

I flew at him once he told me. Beat my girlish fists against his broad chest and wailed. I cursed him, slapped him, spit on him. And he took it. He took all my shit, just like he took all of Sam's. Finally I broke down. My knees buckled and I slumped to the ground, sobbing. He wrapped his strong arms around me and gave me all the comfort he could. As I sat there and cried, he told me his story. He was in the same boat I was in. Jacob's father owed Sam an insane amount of money. Jacob's father was a veteran with an addictive nature. He was an alcoholic, a drug addict, and a brute. But Jacob loved him. No matter how much money he stole from him, how many brutal beatings he gave, Jacob loved him.

So one day when he came home to find Sam and his men beating his father to death, he tried to break it up. He actually got the upper hand for a while. Jacob was a big guy, massive really. He had one of Sam's guys when Sam pulled a gun and aimed it at his father's head. Jacob immediately dropped the guy and begged Sam not to kill him. Pleaded with him, said he'd do anything. With those words he had sealed his fate. He became one of Sam's cronies, sent out to do all of his dirty work. Eventually he got so good at what he did, Sam wanted him closer. He became Sam's right hand man.

He guarded Sam, Sam's money, dealt with Sam's enemies, and got Sam whatever it was he wanted. And back then, Sam had wanted me. He had no choice but to bring me to him. In that moment I hated him. I had trusted this man the moment I met him. I wish I hadn't. I can still hear his voice in my ear as he held my weeping body against his and whispered "Sam's men are in the car, watching us, across the street. If there was any way out of this, I would take it. I would take you and run. And never look back."

Soon after that I moved in with Sam. He gave me free range of his mansion and all the land surrounding it. His servants respected me, treated me like a lady and not the sad whore I was. I was lonely, in that big house in the countryside. I used to ask Sam why he lived so far from the city, the very city which he ran. His answer was simple. He didn't like to bring work home. I still wonder what he considered me then.

My family was very accepting of my new role as a gangster's girl. Sam sent presents and money to my family, over time seeming to forget my father's debt altogether. They couldn't have been happier. I, on the other hand, was miserable.

Jacob avoided me. He was in the house constantly, he and his men. As second in command he was very busy, yet no matter what if we happened to be in the same room his eyes were on me. About a month after I moved in, I cornered him in Sam's office. I wasn't allowed in there, but the men had all gone. Jacob was alone there and I trusted the staff to not say anything. I quietly snuck into the spacious, sophisticated room and locked the door behind me. I thought I had been stealthy, the door hadn't made a sound when I entered, yet he said my name as if he had been expecting me.

"We can't do this," he said, with his back to me as he put down his papers. He hung his head and rested his knuckles on the oak desk as he took deep, calming breaths. I said nothing, just rested my hand on his back as he repeated his words. I had moved forward and hugged his huge body tightly from behind. Just like at the club my body melted against his and we breathed in unison. He gave in for a moment before spinning around and holding me off.

Again, we argued. Why couldn't we do this I asked. Why couldn't I love him I cried. Because he'll kill us both, he reasoned. He wanted to give in. I could see how it pained him to tell me no, but he was stern and wouldn't budge in his reasoning. He wouldn't let me put my life on the line for him. He had already put my life on the line when he brought me to Sam's booth, I told him. He stood silent, knowing it was true.

I reached up to kiss him. Our first kiss. As heady and passionate as it was stupid and dangerous. I felt our souls merge into one as our tongues delved together. He cupped my head gently as he lifted my body up to his. My fingers grasped at his lush hairs, needing something to keep me grounded. Something to bring me back down to earth. As his tongue caressed mine and he moaned into my mouth, we were in heaven. We only came back down when we heard the pounding on the locked door.

Jake immediately brought me back down. I clung to him but he held me off. I reached for him once more and he pushed me. I stumbled back and looked at him with new eyes. I stared up at him, as he gazed down at me, breathing hard. "You are weak, and I hate you for it," I whispered, as I turned and opened the doors.

I remember being so angry, so bitter that I had hoped it was Sam at the door. I wanted to die rather than to go on living like this. Instead it was his maid Claire. With eyes downcast she warned me of Sam arriving home. He was in the driveway, his driver Paul was stalling him as best as he could. I had thanked her, let her fuss over my hair and then shooed her away. "I hate you," I whispered one last time before I left the room and went upstairs.

Jacob and I didn't speak for two years after that. We watched each other, were still drawn to each other but we never spoke. If he was in the library, I would come in and sit, silent, just absorbing his presence. If I was in the kitchen, he would sit, watch, and listen to Claire and I gossip, never saying a word.

My bitterness, my anger, grew during that time. I became an evil bitch. Any of Sam's men would attest to that fact. I was mean, surly, and nasty to everyone that I spoke to. The only exceptions to the rule were the servants and Jacob. Jacob didn't receive my anger because we didn't speak. In all actuality he and Sam were the cause of my change of attitude. I hated them both.

I stopped caring about what Sam would do. His consequences seemed miniscule after a while. I spoke out of turn, argued with him, and belittled him constantly. For some sick, twisted reason he began to care for me more. He doted on me, pampered me, and spoiled me rotten. He only beat me when I embarrassed him, which wasn't often. He had trained me in how to behave like the perfect gangster's wife, which is what I was to become. I married him a year later.

I had grown used to this sad excuse of a life. Sleepless nights, meaningless sex, constant misery. Then the threats came. Attempts were made on my and Sam's lives. New gangsters wanted to claim Sam's throne. Carlisle Cullen was determined to make the city his own, but Sam wasn't going down without a fight.

At times I sit back and wonder if Sam bumped his head and forgot how we met. Making Jacob my personal bodyguard was the stupidest thing he could have ever done. But he did it. At first things were okay, awkward but okay. We didn't speak, he just followed me everywhere. It was much like how it was before. Then one day, we had been sitting in the library when he asked what I was reading. At the sound of his voice my heart beat sped up and my palms began to sweat. It was the first time that he had spoken to me since that kiss. I had missed his voice.

Hesitantly, I answered him. He nodded his head and said no more. My heart rate went back to normal, but I couldn't help but to anticipate when he would speak again. The next day he asked me two questions, and I answered less hesitantly. It went on from there. We spoke more and more until there was nothing left to say. I felt like I had known everything there was to know about this man, and him me. Our connection flourished until I needed him so much it hurt.

Those two years had changed him. He claims it was my confession of hatred towards him that did it, but I believe it was our time apart. He was no longer the weak man I had known. The one who had changed my life so completely. This time it was he who chased me and I who ran in fear. Worry and stress over the Cullens claiming his territory had Sam more ruthless than ever.

I took the brunt of his anger. It all came to a head during a dinner party he had me host. I must have said the wrong thing, or ate with the wrong fork. I don't know what triggered his anger but the next thing I knew Sam had raced around the table and lifted me out of my chair. He slapped me so hard I saw stars. I remember preparing myself for his second blow only for it to never come. I opened my eyes to see Jacob holding his hand in a tight grip, keeping him from hurting me further. I had never seen such an confused look on Sam's face before. It astounded me.

He finally dropped me and I tumbled to the ground. "My job is to protect her, and that includes from you." Jake said before tossing Sam's arm to the side. Without another word he bent down, picked me up, and carried me from the room. He gazed into my eyes the entire way to my bedroom. The apology I saw swimming there wasn't just for tonight, but for every night since I met him. He tenderly set me down on the bed and patched up my busted lip. I remember waiting for Sam to burst in the room and shoot us both. He never showed.

As Jacob stretched out beside me on the bed and stroked my lip, I knew we were playing with fire. Yet I didn't care. I doubt he did either. He leaned over and kissed me, making sure not to press down too hard. I gave in to him quickly, no thinking, no worrying at all. I remember looking up and seeing Clair quietly closing the bedroom door as Jacob and I made love for the first time.

We were so wrapped up in the contrasting soft and hardness of our bodies we paid attention to little else. My moans and sighs harmonized beautifully with his grunts and groans. His hands were everywhere at once, yet they still didn't touch enough of me. My flesh had burned for him. It never stopped burning.

I needed him constantly. That night Sam had left the house after Jacob whisked me away. Probably to go shack up for the night with one of his sluts, my cousin Emily among them. We were lucky that night. Other times we weren't so lucky. Or so smart.

We had expected Sam to separate us after Jacob's obvious display. Instead Sam seemed to remain oblivious. We stole moments together whenever we could. I remember being surprised that Sam didn't smell Jacob's cologne on our bed sheets instead of his own.

We were happy, we were perfect. Still in hiding, but we would take what little happiness we could get. Life had robbed us of so many other moments, we took the ones we had greedily. Then I missed my period. Thought it was nothing until I started to throw up in the mornings. When I gained five pounds I knew. I was pregnant.

And that brings us to the present. Here I sit on the bed, as you clutch my hands and tell me not to do what I'm planning on doing. You want this baby. You want this baby more than anything you've ever wanted. You're willing to fight for this baby. Willing to fight for us. You've been saving money. Have been since that day you came to get me and bring me to Sam. "Remember what I told you," you ask, as you rest your head against my belly and plead. "I said I would run away with you, and I meant it. Come on, Lee. There's nothing keeping us here anymore. Run away with me," you reason.

"What about your father, Jacob? What about my family? Sam will massacre everyone we know if we try and leave! My family owes him too much as it is, I know eventually he will try to claim it," I argue. "We owe our families nothing, Leah. I've lived like a slave for that man for too long. My father gladly gave me up for his debt. So did yours," you say, as you hug me close as we both stand. "I want this. I want a family with you. My happiness is you."

I turn to face you when you capture my mouth with your own. Your kiss is deep, persuasive, and loving. All of your kisses are loving. "Run away with me," you ask one last time. I open my mouth to answer yes. A sound, immediate yes . . . when the door burst open and Sam and several of his men barge in. You whisk me behind your body for protection but it's too late.

I clutch your hand in mine so hard I think my nails draw blood from your palm as Sam's men open fire. I close my eyes and hug your back from behind, like I did all those years ago in the office. I whisper I love you in your ear. It's the first time I've ever told you because it has always been so clear that I never had to say it out loud. You whisper it back and I think it's fitting that we tell each other moments before we die.

The sound of the gunshots stops suddenly. I open my eyes when I realize I didn't feel an ounce of pain. Sam lies slumped on the floor, dead, while the men all put their guns away. I stare around shocked and confused, before Carlisle Cullen strolls into the room. Jacob's grip on my hand tightens even further. Surprisingly, Carlisle seems not affected by us at all.

He surveys the corpse then pats Jared, one of Sam's top men on the back. "Good work," he say, calmly. He turns to leave before looking back at Jacob and I. "I will only warn you once. Get out of the game or I will put you out of it. This is your only chance, Black." He growls before walking out.

Sam's men follow him out and we're left with the mess. We call 911 and tell the staff everything that has happened. We've come full circle as I sit in your lap on the steps outside and we playfully argue about where we should move. Sam left everything in my name and with the money you have saved we could go anywhere we want to. They cart Sam's worthless carcass out as we debate over either Australia or London. The childish argument dies down when you grab my face and kiss me till I'm breathless. Then we both agree that we'll pick some place that's best for our child. That's the one thing we can agree on.

ANA: Happy birthday To Me. I love you guys, I know I've been missing for a while but obviously I love you if I updated on my bday, right? Does that make up for my months missing? And idk how I feel about this story, honestly this was just my way of getting back on the horse. Sorry about the tense changes and everything. Just how the story came out. Will be updating my other stories soon. Blackwater love

Lauren


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Sorry for the wait, really trying to get used to writing again. This one shot is all over the place, just warning you now lol. I came across the song "This isn't my idea" from The Swan Princess on YouTube (while looking up 'things straight girls say to gay guys' of all things lol) and it made me come up with this idea. PS I have no idea what time period this is supposed to be in, sorry if that bothers anybody.

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or The Swan Princess

B is for Blackwater

Ball – large formal party for dancing

"I'm not going." I stand my ground and let my father push and shove me as hard as he can but I don't budge. He huffs and puffs as he stands behind me and uses the wall for leverage, it still doesn't work. "Jacob! You are too damn old for this," He wheezes out once he finally grows tired. I smirk at him and cross my arms as he glares. "I'm too damn old for a stupid ball," I answer.

"Look here," he says, as he pokes me in the chest, pissed off beyond reason. "We've tried things your way and it didn't work out. Isabella left you for some penniless commoner. Its time you got over it and grew up." Billy shouts in my face. "She might come back," I try to reason with him, but his growls of irritation cut me off.

"I told you before and I'll tell you again, boy. Isabella Swan is not fit to help you run this kingdom! You need a strong woman with an even stronger dowry. Isabella was weak and offered no advantages to the crown. She was beautiful, I'll give you that son, but there are prettier women to be found," Billy told me, as he tried to get me to see things his way.

I stood quietly, letting him think he won. He took my silence as an agreement and began to straighten his clothes. "I'm still not going," I said, as if I hadn't heard a thing he said. His head snapped up and I saw his eyes turned red with anger. "Why you little," he started to threaten as I laughed, when mother stormed in the great hall.

"Prince Jacob William Black, why aren't you ready? Your guests are starting to arrive," she lectured as she shoved father out of the way and began to try and fix my hair. After turning my head from side to side several times didn't deter her, I finally grabbed her hands and stepped back. "Because I'm not going," I told them once more.

"Jacob, there are hundreds of young women coming just for you. Now it is your duty to at least see them. This ball is for you," Mother reasons, as she tries to keep Billy from throttling me. Watching her side step in front of him every time he tries to lunge at me would be comical if he didn't look so murderous.

My eyes widen as he fakes a left and escapes her and rushes me. I'm not really scared, he's never hit me before but he looks mad enough to now. "Do you know how much this damn ball is costing me? Your mother ordered four dresses, six cakes, fireworks, and three dozen swans? Do you know how much swans cost," father asks, as he clutches my shirt in his fist and stares at me eye to eye.

"Uh, no," I answer, just wanting him to back up. "A lot of money that's how much," he roars, as mother gently pries his hands away from her only son. "You can afford it, William," she tells him softly. "Not if he doesn't get up off his ass and marry already," Billy says, finally exasperated.

"There's got to be other ways. Our country is not that bad off, are we," I ask, as I run my hand through my hair, frustrated with this whole thing. "Do you know nothing, boy? This ball is our last hope," Billy admits, as mother rubs his shoulders to calm him down.

I shake my head, angry that they are putting the welfare of our people on me like this. I storm over to my throne, which sits on the right side of my father's, and slouch down, mad at the world. I don't want any of the girls at the stupid ball.

I feel my mother's small hands on my chin, raising my head up to look at her but I turn away. "Jacob. Jacob, look at me," she urges before I finally give in. "Your father and I love you and want what's best for you, but we want what's best for our people as well. This is our only solution. At least this way, you can meet the women at the ball and pick which one you want. We haven't taken your choice away, only changed your options."

She smiles at me sadly, as I shake my head, forlorn. I really have no say in this. "Your father wanted to set you back up with the Duke of LaPush's daughter again. It could have been worse, right," she laughs once she sees my expression.

I turn to glare at my father, who has been pretending not to listen as he watched the servants set up the hall. "It makes sense. You two were betrothed since birth, the alliance was only severed because we gave in to your wishes to be with the Swan girl," he answered, showing no remorse. Quickly, I turned back to mother and asked the question I had been worrying about all day. "She isn't coming, is she?"

"Oh, but, of course. Dear Leah hasn't been to visit since you both were fourteen. I think it's time you two saw each other again, don't you," she answered with a twinkle in her eye. I groan and rest my head in my hands again. Yet another reason to stay as far away from this ball as possible. Duchess Clearwater drives me insane.

I sprawl out on the comfortable seat and stare both of my parents hard in the eye as I tell them for the last time, "I'm not going." My mother only laughs as Billy's face turns a scary shade of ruby red.

Hours later, I sit in the same exact sprawled out position on my throne as couples waltz throughout the great hall and girls stare and whisper at me everywhere I look. I shake my head and narrow my eyes in disgust at the group of girls at the punch bowl who titter and blow kisses my way every five minutes. I swear every girl in the entire room has made eyes at me at least three times except for one. A tall, brunette has kept her back to me since she showed up. The only girl to not have the steward announce her arrival. She's probably a troll. This is officially the worst ball I've been forced to attend.

"Jacob," mother hisses at me, as she reaches over father and slaps my knee, "Sit up." I slouch even further and ignore my father's huffs about how immature I am. I stick my tongue out at him, further proving his point, and he hits me on the head with his specter. My crown wobbles and I have to hurry to catch it from flying off my head. I turn to glare at him as I fix it and catch him laughing quietly. And he wonders where I get my immaturity from.

I sit back and watch my friends, the sons of Lords and Dukes that I'd grown up with, flirting with various girls throughout the hall. As I search for my friends, many girls try to catch my eye but I ignore them. None of them can compare to Isabella. She was so pure and virtuous; she never tried to win me over. If anything my advances scared her. I have no idea what made her run off with that peasant Edward but there isn't a doubt in my mind that she'll come to her senses.

"Prince Jacob," Carlisle the steward calls, getting my attention. "I'd like to present the Ladies Rosalie and Alice of the Cullen family." I stare down at the two attractive women and grow bored. I look away and begin to look around before my father hits me again. "Charmed," I finally compliment them in a sullen voice, as I glance back down. Alice tries her best to keep her smile but her sister snarls up at me and quickly turns away.

Stunned by her rudeness, I keep my eyes on Rosalie as her sister hurriedly curtsies and rushes after her. "I can't believe poor Leah was betrothed to that brute. King William breaking their marriage contract was the best thing that ever happened to her," Rosalie complains, loud enough for the surrounding groups of people to hear.

"I thought he was handsome," Alice adds, before Rosalie sends her an indignant glare. "Look, there's Leah now," Rosalie cries, growing excited and dragging her sister across the room. I can't help but to sit up and stare after them, curious. I wonder which girl is Leah, as the two girls approach the punch bowl. I didn't recognize any of the girls tonight so I thought she just decided to not come.

Leah and I had been forced together every summer since we were six. She would come to the castle and drive me crazy as our mothers tried desperately to make us get along. I hated her and she hated me. She used to cheat at cards, steal food off my plate when no one would look, make fun of my big ears, and follow me and my best friends, Sam, Embry, and Quil, around endlessly. I used to pull her hair, hide her things, scare her with horror stories about the castle, and laugh at her lisp.

As we got older our rivalry got worse. We began to dare each other. They started off small. I dare you to jump up and down all day. I dare you to kiss my feet. I dare you to eat dirt. I dare you to sneak this frog into your dad's food. I dare you to cut some of your mom's hair. We got in trouble constantly. Each whooping my father gave me made me hate her more.

Then when we turned thirteen, something strange happened. We grew to like each other. Not in the romantic sense. We became friends. I still couldn't stand her or her me. Yet, I found myself laughing at her jokes, saving her snacks, and even waiting for her when the guys and I played outside. I remember still thinking she wasn't physically attractive but I could get used to her. We had known since we were little that someday we would marry. That summer I grew to accept it. There could be worse things than marrying Leah Clearwater.

Then, one day, I caught her and Sam kissing underneath a tree on the castle grounds. Quil and Embry were there with them and were quick to admit that they had dared them to do it but I was still angry. To this day I can't tell you exactly why I was so furious, but that kiss changed everything. I hated her even more than before.

I began to tease and torture her ten times more than I had when we were younger. I forced Embry and Quil in on it too. I told the both of them that I would tell my parents what they did if they didn't. Some days we would follow her around and not give her a minute of peace. We picked on her every flaw until she would cry and try to fight us. Of course, we would fight back which usually ended with me and her rolling around on the ground while our parents tried to break us up.

The last day of that summer, when I was supposed to kiss her hand and bow before she left, I tripped her and she punched me in the face. I could hear her parents shouting at her all the way down the road. It almost made the black eye worth it.

I thought that would be the end of it but the next summer she came back. I thought our animosity was enough to make our parents see that we would never work. It wasn't. We fought like cats and dogs. Finally, she was sent home early after a particularly brutal fight where I broke my arm and she sprained her ankle. I remember telling my mother that Leah wasn't right for me at all. A lady proper for a prince would never be so violent. Mother simply said a lady wasn't proper unless she tried to cause damage to the man who told her "every woman has the right to be ugly, but she abused the privilege." To this day I still don't see what the problem was, it was the truth.

Our parents decided it was best to keep us separated until we were older. Then I met Lady Isabella Swan when I was nineteen and I begged my parents to break the marriage contract with Leah. I hadn't thought about Leah since. And now she was here, at the ball, probably waiting for the chance to jump out and break my arm again.

I stared hard after Rosalie and Alice, eager to see which girl was my ex-fiancé. I could use a good laugh after the stress this ball put me through and Leah's horse face would sure do the trick. I watched all of a sudden gleeful as Rosalie tapped on the tall brunette's, whose face I hadn't seen, shoulder. She turned around quite gracefully and I almost swallowed my tongue I gulped so hard. My father turned to me, saw my expression, and chuckled.

"Glad we invited her now, aren't you, son," he whispered, as he lifted his wine glass and raised it in a toast at Leah's father across the room. She was beautiful. Undeniably the most beautiful woman at the ball, possibly the most beautiful that I'd ever seen in my life. Even from a cross the crowded dance floor I could see the way her hazel eyes seemed to light up as she smiled at her friends. Her long arms seemed elegant as they wrapped around Rosalie then Alice in generous hugs. Her smile, god her smile. Words couldn't describe how her smile made me feel. Miraculously, it made me smile in return. Something I hadn't planned on doing all night.

I watched stunned at the transformation she had made, as she chatted with her friends until Rosalie noticed my gaze. She turned to glare at me, the girl really did have problems, before turning to whisper to Leah. Leah's eyes widened in surprise as she listened to whatever her friend had to say. She turned to face me and then sent me a glare that made Rosalie's look like a grin.

She then spun around quickly and ignored me as their conversation started up again. Father laughed wholeheartedly as the smile slid off my face and I grew enraged. Just who did she think she was? "My, well, she hasn't changed a bit," he snickered. "Are you kidding, father? She sure didn't look like that six years ago," I mumble as I wave at a servant and they bring me my drink. I thank them and take a deep sip as I watch her laughing with her friends.

"Jacob, she was always pretty. You just didn't see her that way," Mother says, as she walks around to stand beside my seat. "Sure, sure," I answer, still not believing her. "You really should ask her to dance. Just as a way of reconciliation," She suggests. I look at her as if she's crazy as I drink some more wine. She laughs and kisses my head before she begins to walk away. "You really can be quite the fool sometimes," she whispers.

She strolls over to the girls and I watch as Leah greets her with open arms. The two hug and I see mother gushing over what a young lady she has become. I roll my eyes and turn to see my father still laughing at me. I look back over and see Leah scowling at me from over my mother's shoulder. I growl and get up, tired of sitting all of a sudden. Billy laughs uproariously as I ask the girl nearest to me to dance.

It's one of my duties tonight to dance with every available young woman at the ball. I draw out the dances as the number dwindles down. I really don't want to have to speak to Leah. She'll probably knee me in the crotch if I ask her to dance.

I waltz with several women, all of them equally boring before I finally reach Alice, Rosalie, and Leah. Leah and Rosalie scowl angrily as I approach so I quickly turn to Alice. Before I can get a word out she apologizes and says she owes the next dance to someone named Jasper. She saunters away and I look back to my parents for guidance. They are absolutely no help at all, seeing as they are both reminiscing with Leah's parents. I shake my head out of frustration before turning back around to face Leah.

As soon as I turn back around, she and Rosalie take off. A few other girls ask to dance and I oblige them after having lost Leah in the crowd. After I'm finally done with them, I'm more than aggravated.

I start back to my seat when my father appears and grabs hold of my arm. "Son, just ask her to dance," he urges. "I know you want to. Seeing her was the only thing to make you smile all day." "That didn't mean anything," I try to explain, but he just raises an eyebrow at me, obviously not believing it. "Fine," I growl at him, as he gently pushes me forward.

I turn to face the direction I last saw her in. I search the room and find her, with Sam of all people. And just like when I saw them under the tree together, I become furious. My fury escalates as I near the two. Sam sees me coming and quickly takes a step back. I don't even acknowledge him once I stand in front of her and grab her attention.

I hadn't been this near to her all night. She was even more beautiful close up. The glare she gave me didn't change that at all. Sam said his good byes, before patting me on the back and wishing me luck. As if I'd need any. "Dance," I asked, not bothering with the formalities. I swear I'm only doing this to get my dad off my back. I swear.

"I'd rather drop dead," she answers calmly, before turning around and walking away. I stand, stunned, with my arms still outstretched, looking like an idiot. I only snap out of it when I hear my father and Harry Clearwater cackling like hyenas at my expense. Their laughing as gained the attention of others and I slowly try to compose myself as everyone turns to see what their king is guffawing about.

"That's tough, man," my friend Emmett informs me as he strolls over and swings his heavy arm around my shoulder. He's been hitting the sauce to get through this stupid ball, apparently. I wish I had followed his example. "I tried to warn you. She's in a hell of a mood today," Sam said as he and my friends Quil, Paul, Embry, and Seth joined up on our way to get more drinks. I definitely needed a drink.

"Who is that girl anyway," Paul asked, curiously as he watched Leah argue with our mothers. "I wouldn't mind getting under her dress," he cackled to himself, elbowing Emmett in the ribs as he did so. Emmett thought over the comment too literally and asked when did Paul become a cross dresser. We were so busy laughing at Paul's facial expression that we didn't notice Leah, her mother, and mine standing behind us until they coughed three times.

I finally turned around and took a quick step back as they shoved Leah at me. She caught herself in time, turned to glare at them, and then mumbled something under her breath while staring at her feet.

I knew what she had said, it was obvious why she had come over but I wanted to make her pay for saying no earlier. "I asked if you would like to dance, you piss poor excuse for a prince," she finally snapped after I made her repeat herself four times. "Leah," her mother scolded but was ignored.

"I wouldn't dance with you if the choice was between you and a leper. Your ugliness is probably more contagious anyway," I snarl, going back to using old insults. "Jacob, have you lost your mind," mother asked angrily. "I wish you would go dance with a leper, our kingdom wouldn't suffer a bit if you curled up and died somewhere," Leah responded.

It went back and forth like that for a while. I called her ugly and she called me stupid, immature, spoiled etc. Basically every name she could come up with. All I could come up with was ugly and she wasn't even that anymore. The guys stood around and laughed as we went toe to toe with each other. She was pretty tall for a woman but I still towered over her, as she spit her poison up at me. She got so close that our chests touched and her sweet breath wafted in my face. We got too close, apparently.

Our mothers eventually grew tired of our arguing and took advantage of our closeness. My mother wrapped my arm around Leah's slender waist while her mother fused our hands together and straightened them out. We both barely had time to figure out what was happening when my traitorous friends shoved us both onto the dance floor.

"Sue," Leah snarled at her mother, as I growled at mine out of frustration. We got jostled from all sides by nearby couples dancing and had no choice, either dance or face our parents. I looked up and saw the satisfactory smile on Billy's face. I'd rather face Leah then deal with another scene like this morning from him.

"Let's just get this over with," I reasoned with her, as I tightened my grip on her waist and gently started the steps. She kept up, mumbling under her breath the entire time. I tried to ignore it but her whispering like a crazy person finally got to me. "What are you muttering about," I asked, irritated, as I spun her around.

"About how fate must hate me," she replied as I dipped her back and she shoved me off when she felt I got too close. "Not as much as I hate you," I whisper, thinking she couldn't hear. "I hate you more than you could ever hate me, you insipid fool," she snarled as she spun away from me and I pulled her back in.

I pulled her a little too roughly into me, angry at her words. Her grip on my arm tightened in retaliation and the insults flew once more. We danced with passion as we pointed out each other's faults. One song flowed into the next but our ruthless banter continued even as the steps to the dances changed.

"So still have your claws dug into Sam huh," I ask, with a cruel smile on my face. After they kissed all those years ago, I had always figured she had a crush on him or something. Tonight proved my point. She had only seemed happy when she was talking to him or her friends. "What's it to you if I did," she asks, cheekily as she raises her chin indignantly at me.

"Oh, nothing. In fact, I may have to knight him if he actually succeeds in taking you off my hands," I answer with a grin, as she presses her body into mine before separating and returning again. "I may have to sing my gratitude to whatever unlucky woman catches your eye tonight," she responds and I can't help but to laugh.

She looks up at me surprised. "Good God, woman, don't do that. You'll just scare her off. You can't sing to save your life and you know it," I reason with her, as I try to stop myself from laughing. I watch as her perfect lips twitch, trying to hide her smile. "I can sing circles around you," she argues, which only makes me laugh harder.

My loud snorting grabs the attention of several other dancing couples and I hide my face in the curve of her neck to muffle them. I can't help but to inhale her heavenly scent as I do. I leave my head there to smell it some more, not recognizing the sweet smell.

"You could never sing, Leah. Remember the time I dared you to stand on the table in the middle of dinner and sing green sleeves? You were so bad Billy laughed so hard his face ended up in the mashed potatoes. Harry turned purple he was so embarrassed," I reminded her. My trip down memory lane was the final straw and she joined me in laughter.

"That night dad sat me down and told me that singing wasn't one of my talents and if I really wanted to impress you I should show you my drawings," she revealed. "Ha, he thought you were trying to impress me," I asked, as I finally pulled away from her neck to look her in the face. What I saw shocked me. She was actually smiling. That same beatific smile I spotted from across the hall earlier. Her pretty white teeth lit up her face, her lush soft looking lips curved upward flawlessly. Once again I couldn't help but to smile in return.

"I had to tell him something, otherwise he would have tanned my hide," she joked, still laughing as I shook my head. "I once told Billy I fought Sam defending your honor," I admitted, thinking back to the brawl we had gotten into after he kissed her under the tree. "When was this," she asked, surprised before realization struck her. The smile disappeared and her scowl once again returned.

"I should have known you had tried to fight him after that. You always were a spoiled little brat. You never let anyone play with one of your toys, even if you didn't want it," she said snidely, before turning to walk away.

I reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back before she could leave. "The song isn't over, Leah," I reminded her, as we began to sway. Her body had tensed up again and she stood stiff in my arms. "Oh, loosen up already. It was years ago," I chastise.

We danced in silence for a while, until she finally wrapped her arms around my neck like the other couples had done, trying to blend in. As her long, slender fingers grazed the hairs at the nape of my head I shivered. I tried to hide it but she was as perceptive as ever and noticed straightaway. "Still ticklish," she asked, as she did it again, with an evil little grin.

"No," I reply, as she laughs. "So, you consider yourself one of my toys, huh, Leah," I ask, to shut her up. It works. Her laughter dies and is replaced with a dry expression. "No, I'm nothing of yours," she says angrily. "Ha, that's not what our parents think, obviously," I tell her, as we both turn to face our parents, crowded around the throne.

Our mothers' wave and smile, as they ooh and aww, while our fathers are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Harry stares hard at me, watching my hands closely to make sure they don't wander. Billy, on the other hand, keeps winking and sending me very non discrete signs of approval. I hang my head in shame, as Leah catches him and then turns to glare at me, as if it's my fault.

"This is not my idea of fun," Leah sighs as she rests her head on my chest and waits for this stupid night to be over. I agree with her wholeheartedly. Then an idea hits me. "You know what was fun at times," I ask, with a raised eyebrow. She must sense the mischief in the air because she looks at me wearily before asking what. "Our dares," I answer with a huge grin.

Leah takes a second to think over my proposal before looking around the room and turning back to me with a grin. "Let's liven this party up a little," she agrees. I smile down at her as I spin us around the room a few times, to get a good look at the place. I spot Emmett and Rosalie dancing very closely together, a little too close for proper protocol.

"I dare you to trip Emmett," I order Leah, as she follows my line of sight and spots the big guy dancing with her friend. I expect her to refuse but she smiles up at me cheekily, before whispering, "Get us a little closer." Intrigued, I lead us over to the couple lost in each other's eyes and begin to dance near them.

Leah presses her body a little closer to mine and whispers, "a little closer," directly in my ear. I almost lose focus with her so close but I compose myself and get closer. Leah gets even closer, so close her lips are flush against my ear as she demands, "Dip me." I shake the confusion and lust away as I do so, forgetting all about the dare.

Until I lower her and she sweeps her arm out quickly and it catches Emmett's legs. She pulls back just in time and I lift her quickly as he starts to topple over, bringing his partner with him. "Go, go, go," Leah urges as I spin us in the opposite direction as fast as I can. "Oh, Emmett," we hear from behind us, as we race away. I look over my shoulder and see my friend lying on top of Rosalie; neither of them seem in a hurry to move.

"Okay, your turn," Leah says, as she tries to catch her breath. I look down at her and for the first time all night she seems happy. I'm not sure if this should worry me or if I should smile back in return. "Do your worst," I tell her, as she thinks over a good enough challenge for me. "I dare you to goose . . . Sam," she says sneakily, once she spots Sam talking to Lady Emily in a corner of the room. He has her boxed in against the wall and its obvious the type of things he's saying to her right now.

"No way," I sputter as I look back down at her and she laughs in my face. "Why not, Prince Jacob, are you scared," she teases, as she sticks her tongue out and smiles. I laugh and figure what's the worst that can happen. "Princes don't get scared," I tease back, as we head in their direction and she scoffs at me.

I wait until Sam is fully focused on Emily and playing with her hair, while one hand wanders around her waist. I make a face at Leah, making her laugh before we near them and I reach out and grab Sam's ass.

"Ugh," I can't help but to huff out as I quickly spin us away and Leah falls all over herself laughing as Sam turns around, searching wildly for the person who touched him. "Shh," I try to shush her as we get a good distance away. She peeks over my shoulder and sees Sam glaring at every man who walks past him, as he stands pressed up against the wall. She snorts loudly and I push her head into my chest to stifle it. "Shut up, before he realizes it was us," I plead with her. "I thought princes didn't get scared," she says between laughs. "They don't grope their male friends either," I explain as she cackles again and I shove her head back.

Her shaking body stops our dance and I can't help but to stand in the middle of the dance floor like an idiot, holding her as she falls apart. She peeks at him again and starts whispering "Look at him. Quick, look. Look," urgently, into my ear before laughing even harder than before. I risk it, to see what has her in hysterics, and see Sam trying to leave the room without exposing his backside. He slides his body along the wall, his arms outstretched, a mean grimace on his face as he orders everyone in his way to move and glares at any man within a foot of him.

I can't help it anymore. I start to laugh just as hard as Leah. We stand in the middle of the dance floor, using each other for support as the other couples stop dancing to watch us. "Stop, stop," I try to tell her, but I can't stop laughing myself so she can't understand me. She turns back to face me and laughs into my chest once more, as I wave my hand and order the other couples to keep dancing.

We finally compose ourselves and begin to dance again. As we pass the throne, both sets of parents stare down at us, disapprovingly. Billy looks the maddest. "Your dad needs to cool down," Leah observes, as she threads her fingers through my hair absentmindedly. I smirk down at her, thinking she really shouldn't have said that. "I dare you to pour a glass of wine down Billy's shirt."

She stares up at me, not believing I would suggest such a thing. "You're trying to get me beheaded, aren't you," she asks, in shock. "Nothing's going to happen to you. I thought Duchesses didn't get scared," I tease her. She just huffs and tightens her hold on me. "Fine, but if he catches me," she starts to threaten when I pull her over to the punch bowl and pour her a glass of wine. "I'll take the blame," I finish for her as I hand her the glass.

She takes it and glares up at me, before turning to face our parents. I come up behind her and gently push her forward. "Better go now while he's distracted," I whisper, as we both watch Harry and Billy argue over something or other. I watch as her back straightens and she heads over to them without a look back at me.

She politely waves at our mothers, who look upset that we're no longer dancing. They turn their gaze from her to stare at me questioningly. I roll my eyes at my mother, trying to distract them from the fact that Leah just walked behind their seats. My mother starts to wag her finger at me, like I'm a dog or something, and I simply shrug while Sue shakes her head. Mother gets up from her seat and Sue follows behind her as they make their way over to me, obviously thinking I said something to upset Leah.

They are half way to me, when we hear a high pitched screech and Billy jumps up from his throne. "What the . . . God damn it," he roars as he wobbles and hops up and down, trying to get the drink to spill out of his tucked in shirt. He starts to turn around and I see Harry glaring at Leah, as she stands behind the chair shaking from silent laughter.

The tears trail down her face and she can't move she's laughing so hard. "Oh God, Billy, you sound . . . you sound so . . ." she wheezes out before I race over and clamp my hand over her mouth, to keep her from saying something about the king she'll regret in front of this room full of people.

Everyone stares up at us, in shock, except for Billy who's still wringing out his shirt and jumping up and down. I try not to chuckle and applaud myself on the inside for choosing the chilled wine. Leah's knees give out from laughing so hard and she grabs my shirt to keep from falling down, when I sweep my arm underneath her knees and carry her bridal style. This only makes her laugh louder and mutter "so stupid" luckily only loud enough for me to hear, as everyone continues to stare.

"Jacob," Billy roars once he catches sight of us and I can't help but to start to laugh too. "Ugh, carry on with the ball," I say to all the staring couples, before I race from the room and away from my angry father.

I ignore him screaming my name as I run to the garden. I finally reach the grounds and sit Leah down on a bench as I try to catch my breath. She finally composes herself and wipes away her tears before turning to face me. She looks even more beautiful under the night sky.

"We're both going to catch hell for that, you know," she says, shaking her head. "Wouldn't be the first time," I remind her. "No, no, it wouldn't." she responds quietly. We sit in silence staring up at the night sky together. "It's been so long since I was last here," she says, softly as she looks around.

I nod my head, not knowing what to say when she turns to face me. "Okay, it's your turn," she says, seriously. I sit up and rub my hands together, ready for anything, when she puts her hands over mine stopping me. "I dare you to tell me the truth," she says.

She looks at me so sadly; I can't help but to feel bad. I know what she's going to ask but I don't know if I can even explain it to her. I turn away but she drags my face back before asking, "Why did you get so angry? We had finally become friends and you turned on me so quickly my head spun. I just want to know why," she asks.

I shake her hand off my face and sigh, resigned to give her to best answer I could. "Look, Leah, I had finally gotten used to the fact that you would be the woman I spent the rest of my life with and then I catch you kissing someone else. We hadn't even kissed yet," I tell her, before turning to look at her again and seeing a strange look on her face. I stand up and walk away, keeping my back to her. "Plus, I was thirteen when it happened. I didn't know any better."

I stare into the pristine lake in front of us and watch those stupid swans mother ordered float slowly by. I hear the doors behind us open and I turn, thinking its father looking for us, when I realize the fireworks are about to start. The guests are merely coming outside to watch.

"You liked me," Leah says, softly, from her bench and I whirl around to face her. "Did not," I snarl at her childishly, not knowing why I'm bothering to lie anymore. I probably did like her, it makes the most sense. Leah stands up slowly and approaches me, her dress trailing in the dewy grass as she walks. "You are so immature," she laughs, once she nears me. "Am not," I whisper, as she closes the space between us.

She stands pressed up against me, so close I could her eye lashes if I wanted to. I hear a loud explosion from behind me and realize the fireworks have started. The colors brighten up the night sky and Leah's face. She looks radiant as she gazes up at me.

"Your beautiful," I tell her without thinking, as she smiles up at me. "So I don't abuse the privilege to be ugly anymore," she whispers as she drapes her arms around my neck and I wrap mine around her waist, pulling her even closer to me. She's so close she has to stand on her tippy toes. "No," I smile down at her. "I still hate you," she murmurs as her eyes flutter shut. "I hate you too," I answer, the biggest firework is launched and I crash my lips against hers.

She jumps up and I lift her higher as we kiss under the exploding lights and the swans take off from the lake, scared by the loud noise. As they fly over past, droplets of water shower down on us and I spin her around in it as the lights dance over us and our surging kiss winds down. I kiss her lightly on the lips a few more times before I lower her back to the ground.

She smiles as she slowly opens her eyes back up and I don't even try to stop the smile from appearing on my face this time. "I liked you too, you know. I had always liked you," she reveals, as I tighten my arms around her. I kiss her softly again and ask, "Is this your idea of fun now?" "No," she laughs and I lightly squeeze her.

"It's your turn again," she tells me, as I pretend to think it over. "Hmm, I dare you to kiss me again," I tell her as I lift her back up and spin her again. "I've been waiting on that dare for years," she laughs before kissing me desperately.

We stay like that all night, completely forgetting about returning to the ball. We don't snap out of it until we hear our parents bickering from behind us.

"This was a terrible idea. Those two are awful together. Our country is going to fall for sure with those two in charge," I hear Billy whine, as my mother tries to shush him. "I think they're sweet," she exclaims, as they watch us. "I think he had better watch his hands. Oi, boy," Harry shouts, as Leah and I finally break apart. "Oh, Harry leave the two be. Besides, that's your future king you're shouting at," Sue laughs. "I don't care if he's the gd messiah; he had better watch his hands. I saw what that pervert did to poor Sam earlier," Harry explains, as Leah and I finally tone their bickering out.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking," I ask, as I hold her in my arms and we stare at our foolish parents. "Of course. It's my turn, by the way," she says, as I release her and she whispers in my ear my dare. I shake my head at her and kiss her once more before striding over to pants her father. This is officially the best ball ever.

ANA: Okay, so I just ripped off like eight different movies but I really didn't mean to. I was writing this and was like oh I feel like watching "Love me if you dare" (my favorite movie of all time that doesn't include Audrey Hepburn, it's a French film starring Marion Cotillard and it's beautiful.) So the dare idea came from that. Sorry it was so long and all over the place.

Lauren


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A/N: I didn't really care for ball so I decided to make my next few chapters a little more serious. This one shot contains a few Native American words and names that I looked up on the internet. If any of the meanings, traditions, or sayings is incorrect, I apologize. Please pm me and I will change them ASAP. If the definitions are not explained in the story, they can be found in the author's note at the end. Enjoy.

B is for Blackwater

Camp – place for temporary stay: a set of buildings where people are housed temporarily

The qochata camp had been set up just a few days ago. Word had spread quickly when the pale faces arrived. Their arrival caused an outbreak of panic throughout our people. A group of pale faces had claimed land near our closest tribe. At first, our brothers welcomed them. Then the qochata began to show their true colors. They wanted to take their lands, wanted to change everything. They tried to "tame" their people. Taught them their language, their religion. I remember father telling them, warning them, to chase them away. If they knew what was good for them, they would get the white setters off their lands as soon as possible. They didn't listen; now their tribe is no more. My father and I won't be making the same mistake they did.

As the future chief I was in charge of the warriors who were to attack the camp. Father wanted to end the threat here and now, but I had convinced him to let the quochata live. I ordered my men to leave all the women and children unharmed, only use violence if absolutely necessary. Our goal was to scare them away. If they were foolish enough to return, then we wouldn't be so merciful.

I peered around the broad tree I hid behind and watched the small camp. In the three moons in which they been here they had already started to build. The large, wooden structures would be the first to go. This land was ours; had been for generations. I would be damned before I let some qochata scum take what was rightfully mine.

I watched as the men stood around their fire, laughing, completely oblivious to the threat that lurked in the trees. Most of the women were in their large tents, putting their children to bed. Now was the time to strike.

I waved my men over, silently, and lit their torches. Our job was to destroy everything. Leave not a trace of the pale faces behind. We would prove that we were a strong people. Not to be tampered with, to be stolen from. The flickering light from the flames lit our faces as I nodded my head in recognition of my brothers.

I let my most terrifying war cry sound and ran towards the camp, my torch lifted high. My brothers followed suit and soon we were upon them. The qochata didn't know what hit them. The men tried to fight us off but we quickly overpowered them. The women and children cried as we dragged them out of their new homes and then burned them to the ground.

Everywhere I looked was chaos. My men ran quickly from shelter to shelter, breaking the pale face valuables and torching the buildings. I made sure to order them not to start any violence but to defend themselves if need be. I saw a few of my men locked in arms with the pale faces but none of them required my help.

The camp was quickly destroyed; we had no more work to be done. I made to call my men off when I saw her. She ran so fast across the desolate campsite that it looked as if she flew. Her long blue-black hair streaking out behind her as her smooth tan legs pumped hard, racing towards the biggest burning structure. I stared dumbfounded as she paused in front of the burning building, lifted her pale face dress sleeve and cover her mouth and nose, then sprinted inside.

Without a second thought, I raced across the camp and into the scorching building after her. I covered my face with my hand and battled the heavy smoke with my arm. It didn't help at all, I couldn't see anything. I strained my ears and heard a loud scuffling noise from a corner to my far right. I pushed my way through and eventually was able to make out her figure through the dense smog.

She crouched over a passed out pale face male, desperately trying to pull him to the exit. He didn't budge. I had no idea how long the male had been exposed to the thick smoke, we didn't have enough time to check if he was alive or not. He wasn't my concern anyway.

I stomped forward, grabbed the girl by the arm and pulled her up. To my surprise, she fought me every step of the way. She struggled against me as I pulled her towards the door, reaching for her pale face male all the way.

"No," she cried, using a few of the qochata words I knew and several that I didn't. I tried to pull her but she made her body heavy and refused to move. It was all too clear that she wasn't leaving her pale face and I couldn't just leave her to burn with him. I dropped her arm and marched over to the man's passed out body.

She followed me, obviously thinking I meant him harm. She grabbed hold of my arm, trying to stop me and I pushed her away. She yelled some more at me in the strange language that I didn't understand as I stooped down and lifted the smaller man over my shoulder. Her excessive shouting quickly stopped as I stood up and shifted his weight. She stared up at me, in shock.

"Go," I yelled, using her English language, praying she would move. Quickly, she turned and sprinted toward the exit as I followed close behind her. As we reached the door, it began to cave in. A large piece of burning wood blocked our escape. Before I had time to kick it away, she beat me to it and raced from the house.

I laid the pale face on the ground once we got a safe distance away from the house. I barely had time to move before the girl shoved past me and began to check the pale face's vitals. I watched her in silence as she laid her head on his chest, listening for a heartbeat.

She wasn't one of my tribe but it was clear that she was of our people. Her tan skin contrasted with her deep black hair beautifully, her bright brown eyes shone clearly, even the smudges from the soot on her face didn't take away from her beauty. She didn't belong here. I took in her strange clothing and listened as she spoke in that weird dialect. Several times her eyes would wander towards mine as she tried to wake her male. I wonder if she thought me as mesmerizing as I did her.

"Cheveyo, it's done," one of my men called. Reluctantly I turned my gaze from the girl and observed the destroyed camp. My men stood in a circle around the girl, the unconscious pale face, and I. Several casualties lay throughout the camp, none of them my men. I stood to my feet, congratulating my brothers on a job well done.

"What about her? Who is she," several of the men asked, as they too observed the girl. "She is coming with us," I answered, as I gazed back down at her.

It was obvious that she needed to be with us. She had forgotten her people. She may not have been of the same tribe as us, but she belonged with my people more than she ever would with the qochata.

She gazed up at me, as if she had understood my words. I strode towards where she sat cradling the pale face, trying not to show my disappointment when fear colored her face.

"No, no," she yelled angrily, as she began to crawl backwards holding her male and kicking at me frantically. I subtly nodded my head at one of my men and he quietly snuck up behind her. She bumped into his legs and began to scream out louder as she looked up into his war paint colored face.

He pulled the pale face from her embrace. She struggled to hold onto him but I easily broke her hold and lifted her easily. She wiggled and squirmed but couldn't break my free from my grasp.

"Jasper," she screamed as I jogged back home with her limp body slung over my shoulder. I assumed it was the name of her pale face male that we left behind. The name rung in my ears for the rest of our journey. She would quickly come to forget him, I tried to convince myself. I had done the right thing by bringing her with me.

Father was pleased by our success. When we arrived back home, my men and I reported the entire encounter. It seems that while I was rescuing the girl from the fire, my men had chased the rest of the qochata from the camp. The only one to remain when we left was the unconscious male I saved. The camp had been abandoned.

Once our report was finished, everyone's eyes sought out the girl I saved. She sat beside me in the circle, staring dazed into the fire, not seeming to pay attention to any of her surroundings. I explained how I had found her and how valiantly she fought. It was not only her beauty that astounded me but her strength as well.

Several of the females huffed at my words but I ignored them. I was expected to take a wife soon and they did not care for the new competition. Father ignored them as well as he stooped low to inspect the girl.

He reached out to turn her head when she snapped out of her stupor. She roughly turned her head out of his grasp and narrowed her eyes at him. She jumped to her feet and shouted at him, tiptoeing backwards. Father and I are the only ones in the tribe who are somewhat familiar with the pale face language, yet it was apparent to everyone that her words were insults and threats.

I quickly jumped up and tried to restrain her but she fought back, trying to get around me. Finally, exhausted with her efforts, I tripped her and held her body to mine so she couldn't get away. She twisted and turned in my arms, her spirit not dying at all as I restrained her.

Father crouched in front of her once more and continues his inspection, when she spit in his face. I tightened my hold on her as everyone gasped in shock. I expected Father to become enraged but he surprised me. He wiped his face and began to laugh.

He chuckled to himself softly before standing up slowly. "Cheveyo, she is in your charge. You brought her here and now you will be the one to take her in." And with those words, he had sealed my fate.

LJLJLJLJLJLJLJ

The first few days I struggled. Even though she had been raised with the usually docile pale faces, she was wild. She fought me constantly. When I brought her to the longhouse, she kicked and scratched me the entire way. My brothers all laughed as I tried to get her to lie still in my mat. It was clear that she was tired but she kept getting back up.

After pushing her down with all my strength she finally grunted in dissatisfaction but stayed still. Until I made to lie down beside her. I had no plans to touch her at all but she apparently thought I did. She slapped me as hard as she could and kicked me repeatedly in my stomach and legs, screeching the strange word "rapist" the whole time.

The entire longhouse roared with laughter as she beat me, many claiming I had finally met my match. I stood up and glared everyone down until their laughter stopped abruptly. Irritated, I snatched my blanket from her and stretched out on the ground. As soon as my head hit the floor, the laughter started up again.

As always I woke up with the first rays of the sun. My back hurt immensely from sleeping on the unforgiving ground. I stretched and watched the girl as she slept. Her body was curled in on itself and she mumbled in her sleep. I recognized the word Jasper again. I sighed as she muttered the word repeatedly, as if she were searching for him in her dreams.

She shivered and huddled up closer to the wall. I overlooked her long, lean body in the pale face dress she refused to take off. She was undeniably beautiful. Her body was made for the clothes of our people. The way she moved reminded me of our dances. I couldn't wait to show her our ways.

The others started to stir and get ready to greet the day. I decided to let her sleep a little while longer and draped my thin blanket over her trembling body. She woke as I tucked it around her and gripped my arm tightly. "Brother," she asked without opening her eyes.

"No, Ayasha," I answered her, giving her the nickname based on how small her hand looked wrapped around my wrist. She woke up and locked eyes with me. I stared down at her, trying to understand why I felt so taken by this strange girl. She eventually dropped my arm and rolled back over, wrapping my blanket around her small frame as she did so.

I stood back up and ignored the glances from my men as they waited for me outside. She was on my mind for the rest of the day. I could barely concentrate on tracking dinner. As soon as I returned I would begin to teach her all I knew.

Things didn't go as I expected once I returned. I should have thought of how the women would treat her after I left. They isolated her, left her on my bench as they gossiped and talked about her. I watched from the entrance as they pointed and laughed at her clothes and funny way of speaking.

I expected her to cry or give in to their taunting. She surprised me instead. She sat on the bench and stared the women down. Her graceful neck held her head up proudly as she glared at the women. Eventually they all noticed her fierce gaze and grew silent. Something in her eyes told them she was not to be messed with.

I couldn't help but to laugh as I watched this small girl silence some of the strongest women in my tribe. I strode forward, laughing all the way, before stopping before her. She ignored my presence, continuing to glare the entire time.

I gently turned her to face me, allowing my large russet hand to linger on her soft skin as she gazed at me. "Olathe," I named her, her beauty striking me as never before. I heard several of the women behind me scoff. I turned to see who dared disrespect her in front of me, but they had all quickly pretended to be busy when I did.

When I turned back to face her, her eyes still studied my face and I sent her a small smile. I wanted her to trust me. I wanted her to want to know about her people. I wanted to wipe away all of the horrors of that camp.

I held out my hand to her, asking her to follow me. She stared down at it before she peered at the others who stared at us in the longhouse. Her eyes landed on the group of snide women who spoke about her and she finally placed her hand in mine. She stood up, not breaking eye contact with them not once.

I lead her outside and our lessons began.

Olathe was a quick learner. She picked up the few words I taught her smoothly, almost as if it was a language that she already knew but had forgotten. Over time she grew more comfortable around me. I believe it was obvious how I felt about her. Her feelings for me were not as apparent.

I would often catch her observing me, sometimes even seeing an admirable gleam in her eye. Her speech improved overtime and we were able to have small conversations. She was even able to teach me a few things.

I had clothes made for her, a separate bench for her to sleep in. Eventually her presence no longer bothered the women. I forgot how things were before she came to be with us. Olathe had brightened not just my world, but the entire tribes.

Father loved her, her spunk and humor entertained him greatly. She followed me closely, so closely that she got to know each and every one of my warriors. At first her beauty astounded them. They had not seen what I saw when I first rescued her from that camp. But as I believed, our clothes enhanced her beauty until she was like nothing they had ever seen before.

They quickly learned not to let her beauty fool them though. She was just as strong and as capable as they were. She joined in on our sparring and jokes. I made sure they went easy on her at first, but was surprised to see that she could hold her own.

She had been with us for about a month when I finally asked her about her pale face male. She still cried out for him at night, often times weeping. I was grateful to find out that she considered him her brother. Olathe doesn't remember anything of how she came to live with the qochata, but she doesn't feel ill towards them. They were her family.

I tried to explain to her their nukpana ways, warn her of the death and destruction they constantly left in their wake. She did not believe me. Told me that she had been taught to think the same way about us. If we were not as evil as the pale faces made her believe, perhaps the qochata were not as bad as I thought, she tried to explain.

She taught me a new way of thinking. Not everything is as it seems. Olathe used the women in the tribe as an example. Most of them despised her when she first arrived, yet she learned not to judge all of them based on the actions of a few. Over time she made friends with the majority of the women. Most had been curious. She seemed strange to them and it was in our nature to be curious about things different than us. They were simply hostile because they knew no other way to be. Perhaps the pale faces felt the same way.

I heard her words but did not listen. I did not trust the pale faces. From all that I had seen they were a greedy, thieving people. Olathe tried to open my eyes to the good in them but I refused to see it. This led to our first fight. We argued back and forth for several hours. To be honest with myself, it was over nothing.

She made several good points but I did not want to listen. The longer we argued the louder she got. I did not explode until she stated that they would come looking for her. A part of me worried over this happening. I knew that I would fight till my last breath to keep her with me. What I did not expect was her admission that she would go gladly.

Stunned, I shouted at her. "You would leave me so easily?" She stared up at me just as surprised. "You took me against my will. What did you expect," she answered truthfully. I stormed away, no longer able to face her.

I wandered around our lands, contemplating her words until I grew exhausted. Had I been wrong in taking her from her beloved qochata? Would she have been better off with them? I had thought that she had come to like being here. Thought that she had come to care for our people, for our ways, for me.

I made my way into the longhouse, tired and ready to sleep. It was late and I expected everyone to be asleep. Olathe surprised me when I spotted her sitting upright on my bench and not asleep in her own. I stood before her, crossing my arms, waiting for an explanation. She stared up at me, before standing slowly.

"I will leave if I have the chance," she promises, speaking the language of the people fluently. Exasperated, I only nodded my head and moved past her to lie down. She watched me for several minutes before going to her bed. That night I couldn't sleep. I lay staring at her bench, wondering why she stared back. Neither of us slept.

Days went by and Olathe fit in with us perfectly. I kept my distance, even though it was hard at first. She had bewitched me until my every thought was about this strange creature. Eventually, she came to me.

Sat beside me as if no time had passed and tried to teach me new qochata words. We grew close again, using our lessons as excuses to be together. I taught her our traditions and she taught me hers. Overtime, I started to see that I wasn't the only one bewildered by our relationship. She was as drawn to me as I was to her.

It was in the way she played in my hair, smiled at me brighter than any other, in the way she said my name; both of them. I never did explain to her that Olathe meant beautiful. She questioned me relentlessly but I wouldn't give. She should be able to figure out its meaning on her own. I made it easy, with the way I would often caress her face while saying it.

One day she decided that since I gave her a name of our people, she should give me a pale face name. She decided on Jacob. She explained that the pale face's called her by the biblical name Leah. She thought the name Jacob was fitting for me because through strange events Leah and Jacob come to be together in their religious legends. I asked if theirs was a love story. She answered no but neither is ours.

Her words hurt me but I tried my best not to show it. I knew that she had some feelings for me but she fought them. She still spoke kindly of the pale faces. I believe that her reluctance to let them go had to do with her reluctance to be with me.

I was running out of patience.

Her words haunted me. Why would she not just give in to me? Needing the guidance of an elder, I approached my father. He opened my eyes to my wrong doings. He loved Olathe as much as I did, but it was clear that he understood her far better than I.

He told me that she spoke to him about her life with the qochata too. That they had told her wicked things about us, fed her lies for years. It was hard for her to change her way of thinking. And I was only making things harder for her.

I protested, explaining that I had been nothing but loving towards her. He agreed but then pointed out that I had still taken her against her will. Nothing I did would be able to undo that first wrong. It was clear to him that she had feelings for me as well, but how could she act on them and believe them to be true if I continued to hold her hostage. My actions only reinforced the lies the pale faces spread.

If I wanted her love, which I did immensely, she would only give it once it was earned. I pondered his words and realized what I had to do. I had to release her. In her mind, she was here against her will, in my charge. I had not seen it that way, but now my eyes had been opened.

I knew that if I offered her freedom, she would not hesitate to leave me. I prayed to Mundoo for guidance, but received the same message father gave. I watched her and saw how even though she made the tribe so happy, she was miserable. Even though I dreaded it, I had to let her go.

At night, while she slept, I searched all over for her qochata tribe. It took me moons and moons of tracking but eventually I found them. They had set up camp in the opposite direction from the place of our attack.

I took the time to study them and kept her words in account. Maybe I had been wrong all of this time. Maybe I had judged them by the actions of the other qochatas that took over my fellow tribe's lands. I watched and saw that even though she fit in with our people beautifully, this is what she wanted. Where she thought she belonged.

I watched them for a short while longer when I spotted him. Her "Jasper", the pale face she called brother. I wondered if he saw her as such. It didn't matter now, although I had a place in her heart it wasn't large enough to eclipse the pale faces she still cried for at night.

I turned to return home, when I saw Jasper turn in my direction. I was unsure if he saw me but his long glance made me cautious. Ignoring it, I ran towards home, keeping track of my way back to the pale face camp.

The next day I spent every minute with Olathe. I basked in her presence, knowing it would probably be my last chance to do so. It was a good day. She taught me new words and I showed her everything that I could in so little time. I wanted her to remember her time here, to remember her people. Most of all I wanted her to remember me.

She laughed and played with me, even as I tried to keep the mood serious. She often asked why my sullen mood but I gave no straight answer. I had told my father of my plan to bring her to the camp. He understood my actions although he was sad to see her go.

At twilight I separated her from the tribe and began to walk towards her qochata. She followed me curiously. Again I gave no answer as to our destination. I walked slowly, studying her face in the changing colors of the fading sun. I knew that I would never find another to rival her beauty or her spirit. I would never find another to enchant me as she did.

Once we reached the clearing closest to her pale faces, I held her hand and pulled her to a stop. She stared up at me, even more befuddled then before, as I cradled her face in my hands. "I have wronged you, Ayasha," I told her.

I expected questions from her. Instead she reached up and caressed my hand holding her cheek, and nestled into my palm. "I know, Jacob," she answered. I was not sure if her tone was forgiving or not. I couldn't take the tender look in her eyes anymore, so I dropped my hands and turned away.

"Through those trees is your pale face camp. You are free to go," I said sternly, as I kept my back to her. Silence was all that greeted me. I expected to hear her footsteps as she ran towards her beloved Jasper and his people. I hoped to feel her small hand grasp mine and hear her silky voice tell me she wouldn't leave. Instead I felt her soft hands trail up my back and turn me around by my shoulders.

I looked down at her, wondering why she left her hands to linger on my skin. Wondering why she wasn't leaving yet. My mind was so focused on why she was still here that I didn't notice her step forward, until she was toe to toe with me. Her small hands clutched my shoulders tighter and she leaned forward. Her lips gently pressed against mine.

As they molded to shape around mine, my body reacted. I reached out and pulled her close. My arms encased her small frame and lifted her to deepen our first kiss. I kissed her like I imagined doing a thousand times. I kissed her for the thousands of times I wouldn't be able to do so in the future.

Her hold on me loosened first and I knew that our time together was coming to an end. I placed her back on her feet and watched as she slowly opened her eyes. I did not want to let go but knew that I had to. She wasn't mine to keep.

She gazed up at me, as she had done many times before. Her eyes unreadable, like always. "Jacob. Cheveyo," she said softly, as I caressed her face for the last time. "Thank you." And with that she turned and walked away.

I watched her pass through the trees and saw the pale faces all look up in alarm. Once they realized who it was, they all ran to embrace her and rejoice. It reminded me of how she was often greeted by our people. They loved her as we had.

I watched envious as Jasper ran towards her and spun her around, grateful for his "sister's" return. I watched from the trees as she greeted everyone and was soon led away to be fussed over some more. She looked back at the trees only once before she disappeared from my sight. I thought I saw her mouth thank you again. I stayed all night outside the pale face's camp, too depressed to make my way back home. I fell asleep thinking of our one and only kiss.

As always I woke with the first rays of the sun. Waking outside the pale face's camp did not surprise me. Olathe sitting beside me, watching me sleep, did. "Thank you . . . for letting me say goodbye," she said, in the language of our people. "Now let's go home." We walked away from the pale face camp, hand in hand, teaching each other new words along the way.

She taught me many things and was not wrong about most. I only found one of her beliefs to be false. She was wrong. Ours was to be a love story.

ANA: So ugh, yeah not sure how I feel about this one either. Whatever, I tried. Meanings:

Cheveyo = spirit warrior

Olathe = beautiful

Ayasha = little one

Nukpana = evil

Qochata = white men

Mundoo = Great Spirit

Thanks for all of the reviews and suggestions from last chapter. Off to bed : )

Lauren


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you all so much for the awesome reviews. It seems that everyone likes the more serious one shots so I'm going to stick with those for now, although I may do a fluffy outtake for Dad. And I want to make a formal apology to Ms. CaptainSpockette for stealing her Camp idea lol. I totally forgot that you and I share a mind link like the pack and it was really your story all along haha. Just kidding' but I can't wait to read your update and warn you that several of my chapters will feature the past. I've always been interested in Native American culture and history. Plus I miss writing Dreams of You but have major writer's block. Anyhoo, I'm rambling. Here's Dad.

B is for Blackwater

Leah POV

I had been getting better. I really had. I hadn't glared at Sam in days. Tried not to stiffen up in disgust when Nessie wanted to show me something with her freaky baby half vamp powers. Stopped calling Embry a bastard. I only punched Paul once this week. But this shit was going to send me off the deep end.

It was the first father's day since Sue married Charlie. I had been dreading this day for weeks, and now that it was finally here, it was even worse than I had imagined. Not only did I have to watch Charlie smothering my mother with goofy smiles and sloppy kisses, I had to watch all the other happy couples as well.

Charlie wouldn't think of celebrating father's day without "all of his children" and his precious grandbaby present. I had volunteered the idea that he had two separate celebrations. Why not hang with us on the rez in the morning and then go see Bella and Repukesme in the afternoon?

Even though Jacob had imprinted on the "child" (and I mean that in the loosest sense of the word) the Cullens still were not welcome on our lands. It made the most sense, or so I thought. Seth (that traitor) came up with the brilliant idea to just have a party at the Cullens. Jacob quickly jumped on the bandwagon and invited Billy along.

The sparkly bloodsuckers were all too pleased to have us over. Anything to make Bella and the freaky fetus happy. So here I sit, huddled up on the couch in the Cullen's living room watching these fucked up excuses for families pretending to be normal.

Edward and Bella sat across from me, holding a now four year old Nessie, retelling the story of how she came to be in her ear. They kept their words low so that Charlie, the only person still not in the know, wouldn't overhear. I grimaced as she reached up and touched her tiny hand to her mother's face. Bella smiled down at her and hugged her close while Edward leaned over to kiss both of his girls on the cheek. It was utterly hurl worthy.

Carlisle and Esme kept to the kitchen. The matriarch vampire was all too happy to cook for the ravenous wolves and humans present, while making sure to keep her husband close the entire time. I spied her teasing him near the stove. She lifted a spoonful of whatever it was she was making and tried holding it to his lips. He smiled, knowing that he would have to eat the unappetizing human food in order to fool Charlie, who goaded him into trying the dish.

The blonde bloodsucker shook his head before sampling the food. I spied the small frown grace his angelic features before he laughed and pulled Esme forward, kissing her. He made sure to get the sauce left on his mouth onto hers, making her taste the unsavory food as well. Sue, Seth and Charlie cheered at their display of affection, while Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett applauded their father on his sneaky pay back.

I noticed Jacob use the commotion to his advantage and reach out to steal a piece of cut up steak off of the grill, when Billy ran into the back of his legs with his chair. Jacob caught himself before he fell, turned and laughed at his dad. Billy chided him on being rude before reaching out and taking the same piece Jake had been going for and popping it in his mouth. Jacob stared after him as he rolled past, as if he hadn't just done that.

Everyone appeared to be having a good time but me. Even Seth seemed happy, surrounded by his favorite people and new step -father. I watched as Charlie, just as clumsy as his daughter, tripped over nothing and spilled his drink down his shirt. It was only water but Sue still grabbed a napkin and wiped it down as if it would stain.

I finally hit my limit when he reached out and stilled her hand, twining their fingers together and kissing her forehead. I jumped up out of my seat, unable to take anymore and headed to the door.

"Leah, where are you going," I heard Sue's voice call from the kitchen. Everyone grew quiet, waiting for me to answer, staring at me in confusion. As if they had no idea what I was upset about this time. It's like they've all forgotten about him.

"To go see Dad," I snarled, staring Sue down, pissed. "Leah," I heard Seth cry out, as I went to turn back around. I didn't get far before suddenly a clear, vivid picture of Charlie and my forced dance at his and Sue's wedding burst into my mind.

Confused as to why I would think about that now, clarity finally hit me when I glanced down and noticed Nessie grasping on to my hand. "Get the fuck off me," I snarled, yanking my hand out of hers. I ignored Jacob's angry growl and Bella as she swooped down and pulled her asshole daughter out of my reach.

"Charlie Swan is NOT my fucking father," I sneered at Nessie, as she stared up at me innocently from within her mother's hug as Edward stood in front of them protectively. I expected to see a look of anger on his face but instead I only saw sadness and pity.

I took a look around and saw the same expression on everyone's countenance, expect for Charlie and my mother's. They looked just plain guilty.

"I would never try to replace Harry, Leah," Charlie ensured me, pathetically. I shook my head, in disgust, and tried to calm down my shaking.

"Good, because you couldn't even if you tried," I spit at him, before running from the house, phasing as soon as I hit the bottom step. I ran faster than I ever had in my life. So fast everything was a blur. I ran not just from the stupid bloodsucker's stupid father's day party but I also ran from my pain.

I had been a daddy's girl through and through. Often called little Harry when I was young, due to my attitude and appearance being just like his. He taught me how to play basketball, how to ride a bike, and how to throw a mean right hook.

He was always there for me when I needed him. He was there when no one else was. He was the only one to not push me to forgive Sam and Emily when Sam left me for her. Sue was all about family and how blood was thicker than water. It wasn't worth throwing away my friendship with Emily just because I had my heart broken.

Harry saw things my way, which I now find even more amazing now that I know he knew about the imprint. He knew that Sam and Emily really had no choice in the matter but he couldn't find it in him to be cordial to someone who had hurt his baby girl. No matter what he was always in my corner.

As I run all the memories surge through my mind. Harry spitting out the sip of soda he just drank after I told him a funny joke in the kitchen. Harry holding on for dear life when he tried to teach me how to drive and I forgot to take the car out of reverse. Harry almost crushing Sam's hand when he arrived to take me on my first date. Harry letting me step on his feet as he twirled me round and round in circles, pretending to dance, when I was a young girl.

It was impossible to hold the tears in as the memories flooded my mind. All the small moments we shared. All the moments we had looked forward to but would never share. I remembered telling him how I planned on naming my first born son after him. I remembered telling him that I wanted to dance to "Butterfly Kisses" during our father daughter dance at my wedding. I remembered him saying how much he looked forward to the day I would graduate from college.

"Leah," Seth's voice interrupted my thoughts through the mind link. "Leave me alone," I instantly shouted back, consumed with grief. I wanted to mourn in private. I especially didn't want Seth here. Not after he seemed so happy at Charlie's party. Seth was the biggest damn traitor of all.

"Leah, you can't be serious! You really think that I would replace Dad so easily? I miss him just as much as you," Seth yelled, as he chased me down, sounding angrier than I had ever heard him.

"You didn't seem like you missed him. You looked perfectly content to play the happy little family with your new step-father in there," I replied snidely. A ferocious growl came at me through the link, so menacing I had a hard time believing it had come from my happy-go-lucky little brother.

"I miss Dad more than you will ever know, Leah. You're not the only one suffering," he growled before phasing back, leaving me to my morose thoughts once more.

Seth loved Daddy, I knew that but he didn't miss him the way I did. I thought back to our Friday night "dates" as Harry called him. Daddy used to take Seth and me out every Friday and show us how a gentleman should treat a lady. He wanted to make sure that I knew that how I was supposed to be treated and he wanted Seth to treat women with respect.

I used to scoff and hated the idea at first but I quickly grew to look forward to Fridays. He made sure that I knew that a gentleman pulled out a chair for a lady, always opened doors, walked on the side of the road the cars passed on, etc. He pounded these rules into our heads until it became second nature.

I wonder what Harry thinks about my life now. Running around half naked with a large group of men who call me a bitch on a daily basis.

I finally reached the cemetery and slowed down as I approached daddy's grave. As I reached the tombstone I phased back, too upset to worry about my nakedness, and collapsed in tears. I loved my father more than anything, everything I ever did was to make him proud.

I remember his blinding smile and whoops and hollers when I won the elementary school spelling bee. I remember him jumping down the bleachers and running onto the floor, hugging me tightly, after I made the winning three pointer in the playoff basketball game. I remember him picking me up early from school and taking me out for ice cream after I beat the tar out of Anita Robinson for pushing me in the lunchroom. I thought he was going to be pissed but he was proud of me for standing up for myself, but he made me promise not to tell Sue.

I only wanted to make him proud, but instead I phased into a giant wolf and killed him. I lay sobbing uncontrollably on his cold, grave as flashes of him grabbing his heart and falling to the ground flooded my mind. I remembering shouting at him, trying my best to call for help, not understanding why I couldn't make the words come out.

Finally registering that I was on all fours and covered in fur, I knew something bad had happened to me. But I couldn't concentrate on that. All I could do was walk forward and try to shake him awake with my muzzle and poke him with my newly acquired paws. He didn't wake up.

I cried, howled, begged him to get up. I laid down and curved my large body around his, laid my head on his shoulder and wept. I was so upset I didn't even notice the other, questioning voices in my head. I didn't move until Sam came out of the woods, in his black wolf form and explained everything to me.

I only cried harder as he nudged me with his nose, trying to make me get up. He and the pack had seen what happened through my mind and told Sue. The paramedics were on their way to take the body and he needed me to leave before they got here.

I refused to budge, turned my head so I wouldn't have to look at him, when I noticed Sue sobbing against the railing on the porch. Sam had ordered her to stay back until I left, fearing for her safety. It was then that I fully realized that it was my fault. I had killed him.

I cried harder, ignoring the pack's voices, until one stood out from the others. Sam explained that Seth had phased once he heard the news. His grief triggered the change. "Come on, Leah. You have to get up," he told me, through his tears but I ignored him. I remembered I physically felt like I couldn't leave him. I needed him to get up and be okay. I needed him.

Sam couldn't waste any more time, as the paramedics had arrived. He apologized before he did it, saying he didn't have any other choice. And then he alpha commanded me to get up and leave. I wailed even harder as my body got up, against my will, and ran into the forest.

That was the last time I saw my father's body. Seth and I had been too upset to phase back during the funeral. We had to watch from afar as they laid Harry Clearwater to rest. I had been an evil, bitter bitch ever since. While everyone else seemed to have moved on.

My tears had finally started to dry up, as I lay in the soft grass and remembered my father. He was the best man I had ever known, never disappointed me once. And I killed him. It was all my fault and I'll regret it for the rest of my life. If I wasn't such a genetic freak he'd still be here.

Suddenly a black piece of cloth landed beside my head. "Hurry up and change. I want to talk to you," Jacob's voice called from behind me. Slowly, I turned my head and saw him standing in his cutoffs, with his back towards me.

"Go away," I whispered, not in the mood for his lectures. I knew he was just here to yell at me for how I treated Charlie, Seth, and Nessie; probably thinking that it was his alpha-ly duty to ream me out.

"Just get dressed," he urged, shuffling his feet a little. Realizing that he had no intention of leaving and not wanting to be seen so vulnerable, naked and crying, I pulled on the dress. It was a plain black dress, with long sleeves that hung to my knees. Perfect for a funeral.

"You decent," he asked, before I nodded my head. I coughed, trying to clear my raspy voice and answered yeah. He came and sat down beside me, staring straight ahead at the tombstone. I was grateful, I didn't want him to see the tear tracks on my dirty face.

"Harry was a great man," he said, quietly, as my tears started to fall again. "You were right. Charlie will never be able to replace him, no one will. Although, I do want to point out, Charlie would never try."

We sat in silence, my sniffling breaking the peace every once in a while. "I miss him so much, Jake," I admitted, sobbing again. I felt him wrap his warm arms around me, holding me close as I cried it out.

"We all do," he whispered back. I leant my head against his shoulder, more glad than I would ever admit for his presence. He rested his chin on the top of my head gently and rubbed my back, soothing me. And then he said it.

"It wasn't your fault," he told me, making me sob harder. We sat there for hours; me just letting him hold me as I grieved. I have no idea how much time had passed when he finally shook my shoulder and pulled me up.

"Come on, let's go back. I think you, Seth, and Sue need to have a talk," he told me softly. I nodded my head as he huddled me in his arms. He started to turn to walk away but I stopped him and pulled back. I reached out and trailed my fingers along the tombstone, before kissing my fingers and pressing it back to the stone.

"I love you, daddy," I whispered before Jacob reached for my hand again. He pulled me forward and didn't let go the entire walk back to the Cullens. I dreaded going back, knowing how awkward it was going to be. People were going to expect an apology and I wasn't in the mood. But I knew Jacob wouldn't just let me go home.

We reached the Cullen's front door and I took a deep breath, calming myself. I pulled my hand from Jacob's and wiped at my face again while he opened the door. I stepped inside and felt my mouth drop in surprise.

Seth and Sue sat in the middle of the couch, surrounded by Billy, Charlie, and the Cullens, with our family album opened on their laps. Sue was wiping away tears while Seth smiled up at me, tenderly.

"Hey Lee, remember this picture," he asked, holding up the book. I stepped closer and peered down at the photo that Seth and I had taken of Dad right before he threw up after getting on a roller coaster. His face was green, eyes were closed, and was holding onto his stomach while Sue rubbed his back in the background.

I sniffled and laughed sadly. "Yeah, he blew chunks a second after I took this," I told them. Seth took the book back and flipped to the next page. "Haha, what about this one," he laughed, showing me another.

Everyone looked it over and fell out laughing at Billy, Charlie, and Harry falling out of a boat. This was taken before Billy got in the car accident. The guys had tried to all catch the same huge fish and started to fight over it when their aggressive pushing and shoving flipped the boat. Sarah, Billy's wife, had taken the picture just in time.

"Guys, scoot over," Jacob suggested, and Charlie and Sue moved over so I could sit by Seth. I sat down and Mom immediately pulled me into a hug, while Charlie patted my shoulder. I felt Seth hold my hand, giving me a comforting squeeze, while I tried to hold in my emotions.

No words were spoken of my outburst. For the rest of the night we all sat around, sharing funny stories about our dads and telling the Cullens stories about Charlie, Billy, and Harry's wild days. I laughed so hard at times my cheeks hurt.

I kept turning the pages of the book, as everyone else shared tales, until I stopped on a picture of Dad and I. It was taken when I was about six. He was sitting on the front porch, holding me in his lap while I tried to share my sloppy ice cream cone with him. We were both laughing as I pushed my melting vanilla cone to his face and he turned away in time for me to mash it on his cheek.

I smiled, remembering this day, when I felt Sue wrap her arms around me and rock me back and forth. "Your father would be so proud." She whispered, and it was exactly what I needed to hear.

ANA: So, I'm a total daddy's girl, if you couldn't tell. Hope you all liked it. So excited to start on Evil. Been looking forward to that update. Anyway, review guys. They keep me going.


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